Helping a worthy cause

This past Tuesday, members of the Palmer Camp and the Silver Association gathered to hear Skip Smith of the 26th North Carolina Troops, Reactivated, speak on the plight of captured and surrendered Confederate battle flags. The presentation was spectacular, and at its end, both groups donated $200 to the current effort to preserve the flag of the 16th North Carolina Troops captured at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. Company C of the 16th North Carolina Troops hailed from Yancey County.

In the picture above, from left to right, are Mike Ledford, Amanda Ledford, and Skip Smith.

September Meeting

Everyone is invited to join us tomorrow evening, at 6:30 pm, for the monthly meeting of the Col. John B. Palmer Camp 1946, Sons of Confederate Veterans. We meet at the Towncenter in beautiful downtown Burnsville.


This month, our special speaker is Col. Skip Smith, commander of the 26th North Carolina Troops, Reactivated. Smith will be speaking on the Returned Battle flags. I’m sure there will some discussion of flags (like those of the 16th NSCT and 58th NCT) for whose preservation the 26th NCT Reactivated has raised funds.

Once again, everyone is invited. We look forward to seeing you there.

Gouge Cemetery - Mitchell County

A couple of weeks ago, members of the Col. John B. Palmer Camp 1946, Sons of Confederate Veterans, had a chance to participate in a Confederate Iron Cross dedication at the Gouge Cemetery in Mitchell County. Garrett D. Gouge was a private in Company K of the 58th North Carolina Troops. He left many remarkable pieces of his war-time experiences, including a jacket which is now at the Greensboro Historical Museum, and a set of letters that detail his experiences during the war. It is an honor to participate in such events that preserve our history.

Mitchell County Confederate Monument

Good news! On Monday evening, the Mitchell County Historic Courthouse Board of Directors voted to allow the Colonel John B. Palmer Camp 1946, Sons of Confederate Veterans, to place a Confederate monument on the grounds of the Historic Mitchell County Courthouse in downtown Bakersville. The Commission recently finished restoring the courthouse to house the offices of the Mitchell County Historical Society, and to provide a community meeting place. The Colonel John B. Palmer Camp of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans has already raised the $5,000 needed for the monument, and we are already planning the dedication ceremony for next May. This is the second Confederate monument that Camp 1946 has erected. The first, located on the grounds of the Yancey County Court House in Burnsville, was dedicated last year.

A special thank you to everyone who made this dream happen.